Croatia June 2021 - Horvātija, 2021. gada jūnijs
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You can throw all the rotten tomatoes you have spared through the long covid winter at me, but I did use the first opportunity that opened for travel in Europe and got my long overdue vacation from the job, from the kid, and, most importantly, vacation with the man I love deeply.
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This is going to be a strange story. At some point I felt I wanted to write in English, then there were moments only Latvian words came to me. The narrative will be bi-lingual, as my life nowadays often is. Use automatic translation tools, if you do not understand something; use your imagination or just enjoy the pictures. Nothing ever is too important to read and understand every word (says a lawyer).

Before

Why Croatia? Because at the end of May 2021 it was one of the few countries of the EU where an Amercian could enter, and where an EU citizen, having only one dose of AstraZeneca/ Vaxzervia could eneter without the mandatory self-isolation.
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An intro, you can skip, as it contains only answers to few why-s and a bit of whining (about Covid and restrictions mainly). 

Departure

And then the morning came when I had my suitcase packed, when I put on a tiny backpack I lent from my daughter and hit the road long not taken – to the airport.

Arrival

Zagreb airport is deserted. ​I’m not sure, is it due to covid, or just a size of the airport is to blame. There is approximately one arriving and one departing flight each hour, which means that the rest of the time there are no people around. I decide to stay at the baggage claim area and enjoy the free internet access (and finish one more review). 

Zagreb

The next day fills up by itself: walk though Kaptol (my favorite part is the Park Josipa Jurja Strossmayera), several coffees (and Aperol spritz). Sitting nearby the marketplace, while observing the people, customs, communication, and Wolt meal delivery bicycles. Seems there are only few tourists, but it is hard to estimate.

To the South: to Adriatic Sea

​Mr. M has rented a car and we can pick it up at the Zagreb airport starting noon this day. Airport car rent seems a good idea as it is the most convenient place to drop it off at the end of the trip. We did not explore the option and conditions of picking the car up at the city and dropping at the airport, which could save as a Bolt drive. But the traffic jams are unavoidable in any case, thus we allow the Bolt driver to manage them.

Pag

At nine o’ clock next morning, as I approach the excursion boat, the captain emerges from within. “Es tut mir leid, keine Leute,” he sadly throws up his hands. Of course, he would like to have clients, and, of course, he is not interested in burning the oil for only two paying passengers as the fees won’t cover his costs

Rab

The next morning around 9 o’clock, I am lazily standing on the balcony watching the street down below and the sea in front of me, when I spot the captain, coming our direction. When he appreciates being noticed, the shakes his head and throws up the hands, showing there is no ride possible also today. I faintly hear: “Leider keine Leute”. I return to the apartment with the news. We can continue the lazy breakfast and should think of other plans

Karlobag

The morning starts will a run though the town with Speedtest app open on my phone. The results show that the public WiFi-EU, available throughout the town, has download speed up to 20MB/s (which is twice the speed I have at home). So I establish an office at the table in the shadow of our apartment building.

​The next 4,5 hours I spend working and listening to the students defending their papers. 

Rijeka and Rovinj

Es atceros un pierakstu šos notikumus jau sēžot uz balkona pārkārsušā Rīgā, Līgo dienas rītā. 

To, kā pametām Karlobagu, iebraucām Rijekā un iemīlējāmies Roviņā. Maza, skaista, garšīga un mierpilna, vismaz pirmajās dienās pēc pandēmijas beigām.

Rovigno

Mūsu plāns ir tieši tāds, kādam jābūt brīvdienu plānam: gandrīz nekāds. Vispirms ir jāatrod brokastis, ko, protams, piedāvā katrs (pustukšais) krodziņš. Un mēs varam atrast vietu ar labāko ēdienkarti un labāko skatu. Un tiekam pie abiem: tieši tādām brokastīm, kā kārojas (olas, bekons, desiņas..), ar klasisko skatu uz Roviņas centru.
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Man patīk pavadīt laiku šādi, bez plāna, baudot labu kompāniju, un apēdot pa gardumam. Tā, vēlāk dienas gaitā aplaimošu ar savu klātbūtni kādu citādi pilnīgi tukšu restorānu, lai apēstu baklavu (labāko no daudzām, kas baudītas) un izdzertu kafiju. Atkal var izmantot to, ka tūristu ir maz, jo restorāni neiebilst pieņemt arī šādus viesus.

​Plitvice missed #2

​When we first planned the trip, the idea was that on the third day we will depart Zagreb to head South to the Adriatic Sea, and will visit Plitvice lakes on the way.  Then something changed. Few times. According to the latest version we got the car from the rent at noon, and then head south. At this point there was little time left for an excursion so Plitvice was left for Thursday, when we have to head to Zagreb, to get covid tests (early Friday morning), as the tests are to taken not more than 72h before entering subsequent country, but still allowing 24-48h for test to be delivered (f**ing complicated, if you ask my opinion; thus I congratulate European covid-certificate which makes things much more simple).

​Zagreb #2

Ko lai pastāsta jums par šo karsto dienu?

Vispirms jau: ja mēs būtu zinājuši, ka mums atgriežoties nav nepieciešami PCR testi (kuru rezultāti jāgaida 24-48h), mēs uz Zagrebu brauktu tikai divas dienas vēlāk. Bet ir tā, kā ir.

Bija tik karsti, ka es pat neizvilku telefonu, kur nu vēl fotoaparātu. Bilžu gandrīz nav...

Plitvice attempt #3

We did that!

I already thought that it is a kind of a curse, and we will never be able to enjoy Plitvice lakes and see this phenomenon, and national park, and whatever beautiful stuff this promises. Mr. M’s Serbian friend kept asking him every day – did you go to Plitvice, have you already visited the place. So, even though on the next morning we both have early flights, Saturday is set as a day for a trip to lakes.

​The scorching temperatures promised “the signature walk”. Nevertheless, I could not settle with the shortest walk through the lower lakes. The gluttony I hear in my head: “If we are here, I want to see all of this”!

Return

The way back from any vacations isn’t something I am keen sharing. What exciting there may be in saying goodbyes, in farewells, not knowing, when we will see each other again? At this point the only interesting facts could be about covid-related logistics. And maybe the fact, that the hosts of apartment we stayed in offered a free ride to the airport (which was convenient and made one more “plus” for this apartment).